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Chapter Seventeen
The next day Aiden woke up to find O'Riley guarding him. Aiden wiped his eyes and stared at O'Riley. It wasn't like him to volunteer for guard duty. He wondered if Angus has arranged this somehow.
He couldn't help but think of all the people here at the fort that he knew and liked. He got along well with all the scouts and O'Riley was a good and faithful friend. He loved him, God bless him.
"Good mornin'," O'Riley smiled at him.
"Good morning." Aiden smiled running a hand through his hair and wondering why O'Riley was on guard in the first place. Sergeants didn't guard often. He rarely guarded the prisoners. Right now, there were three men in three different cells. Some were sleeping, some were holding onto the bars as though waiting for someone to tell them this was just a nightmare.
"Okay, want to tell me why you are here this morning?" Aiden asked him as he sat on the edge of his bunk.
"Well now darlin' I asked for the patrol of you wonderful fellas. I had to find out why you of all people are in here. Let's just say I'm curious?"
"Treason." Aiden answered simply. He glanced at O'Riley surprised face and saw him shaking his head. "Your foolin' me, aren't you?"
O'Riley face changed to a frown now. "Are you serious? What happened, me boy?" he came closer to listen.
"I came back without the White Silver Fox, she was killed and without getting the child back for the Winters. And I guess I had too much sympathy for the Indians. I made comments that if Custer didn't quit raiding the Sioux there would be massive war for retaliation. Which there will be. There are already signs of this happening. It might take some time to gather enough, but Sitting Bull is not going to let this slide. Sooner or later he's going to do something, and it won't be on a small scale either."
"Well, that's a fact."
"True, facts the Major does not want to face. He thinks I'm siding with the Indians. I guess he thinks I know something. All I know is that they won't let Custer get away with this without a fight."
"Are you siding with them?"
Aiden looked O'Riley in the eyes, "When it comes to massacring women and children, yes!"
"God, women and children?" He questioned.
"Yes, Custer cut his name deep into their heart a couple a months ago. Whether he was directly responsible or not, they blamed him. Soldiers from Ft. Abraham Lincoln were there. They killed many of their women and children. Caught them when the warriors weren't in camp. If he doesn't take this seriously, there is going to be hell to pay, O'Riley, they want vengeance." When it got very silent O'Riley turned away. "It's not just officers who will be killed in this, it's all of your lives I'm worried about," Aiden told him. "And I don't want to see that happen. I'm sorry O'Riley. But you better prepare your men well for all of this as Sitting Bull will take revenge. I don't like it when my friends die."
"Son," O'Riley turned around and shook his head, "I know that too. And I've been drilling me boys every day hard like. I've watched some of those smoke signals myself. I know you speak the truth." He rubbed his chin. "You were in love with that girl, weren't you?"
"Yes," Aiden answered simply. "She's the only woman I ever cared for O'Riley."
"I'm sorry she's gone, but even you must know what would await her here had you brought her in."
"I know, now." Aiden frowned. "I guess I got too soft, thinking they wouldn't hang a woman. He planned to hang me right alongside her too. Major Marsh promised me no harm would come to her. He lied to me, O'Riley and I don't appreciate it."
"You ain't gonna hang son. I'll see to that myself."
"No, don't get involved. You are up for a promotion and pay raise. Don’t risk it. Stay the course, but Angus has a plan."
"You leavin' this place?"
"Afraid so."
O'Riley nodded. "Alright, I'm up to it. I think Major Marsh better be careful or he'll get his too."
"Look, my escape might mean a lump on someone's head. It isn't personal."
O'Riley laughed, "It'd be worth it to see the look on the Major's face when he realizes you escaped."
"I won't be comin' back O'Riley, but… I want you to know, I've counted you my friend."
"Goes both ways son. May God go with you. May the sun be at your back, your shadow be at your front, may you be one step in heaven afore anyone knows your gone."
Aiden chuckled. "I'll remember that forever."
